Marko Zaror for Zambo Dende!

Conventional wisdom tells us that bigger men just aren’t capable of the kind of speed and agility of people with smaller frames and less weight to carry. Then Marko Zaror came along to thoroughly debunk that weak old wives’ tale, flipping, kicking, and somersaulting his way through -defying convention and a fair bit of gravity- in his appearances in “Kiltro”, “Mirage Man”, “Machete Kills”, and “Undisputed 3: Redemption”. Now he’s gearing up to dive into the ever expanding waters of the superhero genre!

Zaror is currently said to be preparing to take on the role of Zambo Dende, a 16th century Colombian superhero created by Nicholas Rodriguez. The film, adapted from Rodriguez’s comic book “Zambo Dende: The Slave Avenger”, is reportedly in development by Walt Disney Pictures. So, just who is Zambo Dende, you might ask? According to the comics, which are purportedly inspired by actual events, he was a tireless crusader for the freedom of the slaves oppressed in 16th century Colombia.

The official synopsis of his background gives fans unfamiliar with Zambo Dende a crash course in the history of the character:

“Latin America 1577; two different races, both deprived of their very own cultural legacy sharing the merciless scenario, down from Colombia to the south of Brazil, were confined as slaves to do hard jobs on their wait for death. But every excess has its limit and it came in the form of a child, a child of hope. Azuk the first zambo to be born upon this people. Born with the greatness of African kings inherited from his father and the nobility gained from the blood of the ancient root of her Indian mother whose tragic assassination marked him and turned him into a symbol, a beacon of hope and freedom.”

Zaror isn’t the only martial arts movie veteran joining Zambo Dende’s adventures – two of the stars of “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” (which is itself experiencing a resurrection fans have long been waiting for) Darren Shahlavi and Michelle Lee are said to be joining the film as well. Like Zaror, their involvement would amount to little more than rumours and speculation – except for the fact that they originate from the Twitter page of the man helming the film, Ricardo Gabrielli, as well as the official “Zambo Dende” Twitter page and Mr. Zaror’s Twitter, as well!  Hopefully, we’ll hear more news on Zambo Dende in the near future. Until then, feast your eyes on the clip from Zaror’s upcoming martial arts action thriller, “Redeemer” below: